


Unplanned

by orphan_account



Category: Persona 5
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-10-18
Updated: 2019-10-18
Packaged: 2020-12-22 15:33:41
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,550
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21079139
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: After joining with the Phantom Thieves, Goro helps them in taking down Masayoshi Shido. However things begin to go south as the original plan gets overwritten for someone else’s idea on how things should go.





	Unplanned

It was earned.

After such a long fight, they all knew this hold up would be the last. Awaiting Joker’s command, they all held their breath, surrounding the weakened shadow. Finally, he’d turned back to that politician form and he was begging for his life in the most pitiful way. For such a prideful man who saw his visage in a lion he sure didn’t mind begging like a loyal dog.   
  
“ I’ve made so many mistakes. Please, please let me repent!” Crow’s nose wrinkled and his stance shifted when he heard that man. That voice that commanded respect at all times saying something so weak made his skin crawl. He didn’t like this plan, he didn’t like any of it but what choice had he?   
Begrudgingly, he went along with it. He could learn to accept this, no matter how much it made his blood boil.They told him it was better this way, they’d be able to help him if he did this.   
  
The gentle ‘tip tap’ of Joker’s shoes stepping closer to the shadow was enough to make everyone raise an eyebrow. It was Morgana who’d spoken up, holding the large ship’s wheel over his head.   
“Joker we already have the treasure we ne-”   
  
“ After all you’ve done, an apology isn’t going to cut it.” The glint in his eyes was ferocious, barely contained.A fire within Joker’s heart was trying to keep itself tame. “ Who knows how many lives you’ve ruined, how many people you’ve had killed all so you could force yourself into the prime minister’s seat. Was it worth it to you? Making your own son into a killer-”   
  
“ I didn’t know that Goro was-” Even with the pistol aimed at his head, the man turned his head up and looked past Joker’s mask to see his eyes. As pitiful as the man had looked before, that glare in his eyes commanded nothing but full attention. He couldn’t look away. 

“ Shut up! You still turned a kid int- “

“ That’s enough! “ Akechi spoke up as he lowered his gun. “ We’ve already stolen his treasure. We’ll have enough of a chance to question him once we get back. “ When Joker didn’t turn to even look at him it unnerved him. It unnerved all of them. Never had Joker shown this side of himself. Joker’s gun steady in his hand, Akechi knew that grip all too well.

“ Ren. This isn’t your call to make. “ His voice was calm but his eyes widened and his gut turned over itself. “ We agreed on a plan and it wasn’t this.” 

“ To hell with that. He’s done far too much, no amount of jail time will make up for his crimes. You of all people should know that. “

That sentence solidified everyone’s doubts.

He was really going to kill Shido.

Before Goro could even take another step forward, rush to stop the impact, the shadow was laying on it’s back, black ooze spilling from the back of it’s head. He wanted to say something, anything but he just stood there frozen like a child. Everything was caught in his throat. Everyone just stood there, looking on helplessly.

He couldn’t remember the last time tears rolled down his face like this. This scene. . .playing out in front of him. He shouldn’t have asked this of them, he knew they’d take it too far. He knew Joker was far too much of a fucking savior to pass up a chance like that.

Despite the chorus of ‘Joker!' s that came after he’d shot, akechi couldn’t help but feel like they let this happen. Like it was the plan all along. Gain his trust and then kill Shido right in front of him to rub it in his face. 

Here in front of him lay his dying father. The last family he had. Had this Shido even really realized what all of that meant? Did anyone even understand what that meant? The loneliness of it struck quick.

It was autopilot. His legs moved on their own to that body which stayed there, dead. Even as the palace began to shake, Akechi couldn’t pull himself away.

Kneeling down, he carefully pulled the shadow into his arms. It was cold and lifeless. He could hear everyone calling out for him but he didn’t want to move. This area was going to crumble.

He hated that stupid plan from the start. He should have known they’d just do whatever they wanted anyways. 

Never would he get to triumph over this man, his father. Never would this man utter another praise telling him how useful he was. Never again would he command that gun in his hand.

Akechi felt lost. His guiding light all snubbed out at once.

It was Yusuke who’d finally pulled his cape. Unceremoniously, he’d dropped Shido’s body back to the ground. He’d hardly noticed all of the ‘blood’ that had gotten onto him. For as much as he tried to scramble back to it, do something to fill the void that thing once called eyes, he was reminded.

A hand calmly rested on his shoulder and the words Noir whispered to him were cold. 

“ You’ll see his body in the real world. Come on, now.“

He would, wouldn’t he. So off he went.

For once he’d get to embrace the real Masayoshi Shido. His real father. Those arms wouldn’t hold him back. Much like his mother’s wouldn’t when he’d clung to her so tightly that evening. They’d both be dead. Gone and forgotten with time. 

Running through the quickly sinking ship was an absent minded task. He’d lag behind until someone had rushed him forward but it was fast enough to get out before the thing had finally sunken.

He couldn’t get the image out of his head. As many people as he’d seen die by his own hand, half of them who’s names he wouldn’t bother recalling. That vivid scene was different. The smile that crossed Joker’s lips and the resignation that spread over Shido’s. 

He wanted to erase it. Wipe it from his memory and just forget it ever happened. 

Once they’d arrived outside the Diet building in the real world, Akechi bursted out in a sprint. Against the fatigue of the metaverse and the calls of everyone around him, he ran. What time did Shido have left? Would he already be face down on his desk. Choking on that black mucus that came from nowhere. Or would he just be sitting there, wondering where Akechi had been. If Shido yelled at him for being so loud, at least he’d be alive.

Even if the truth shattered him, he had to know. Delusions and his imagination running wild only made him hope for the best, knowing only the worst was waiting for him. 

He couldn’t be damned to wait for an elevator or apologize to the poor souls unfortunate enough to cross the path of a madman. His heart was racing against his chest, his lungs were screaming at him and his eyes had become so bleary from the tears that flowed freely. The sound of the world turned into a deafening ring as he fumbled with the door knob before calming. 

Everything came to a halt as his hand steadied on the knob. He held his breath and could feel his body shaking. He was never a religious man but if any god out there could spare him a miracle, let Shido be sitting there with that unreadable look on his face, he’d become a believer.

At first, he’d slowly turned the knob. Once the door was cracked he could hear the man gasping out for air and he threw the door open, screaming out the man’s name in a way that brought back too many grotesque memories. Too many vivid scenes. 

He’d rushed over and behind the desk, Shido was on the ground gasping for what bits of life still remained in him. He wasn’t there. but this. . dying husk of the man still barely managed out a word.

“ Go. . .rou. . .”

It wasn’t accusatory. It wasn’t angry. He’d just accepted it. It was the closest thing Goro would get to Shido admitting he’d bested him and that alone made Goro’s breath catch.

“ Fa-father. . .” He couldn’t help a sniffle before he’d childishly hide his face in Shido’s chest. His heart was beating slowly and warmth was fading. 

However it all came rushing back when this weak dying man he’d called a father had hugged him back.

That was it. That had broken him. He wailed like he never had before.

“ I didn’t want this. . .I. . .Shido. . .I never wanted you to- “

He wouldn’t keep whining. He wouldn’t let that be the last thing Shido saw of him. He pulled as triumphant a smile as he could and looked up to those rolled back eyes that had slowly seeped out black blood. He knew Shido saw it. He knew as soon as that grip on his back relaxed back.

The room was quiet despite the voices outside calling for emergency services. It was too late, far too late and he wasn’t ok with it , never would be ok with it.

But in that moment, the moment where his father held him as tightly as his weak arms could, he could almost excuse it. 


End file.
